


Late

by 319478



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Denial of Feelings, M/M, Unrequited Love, an all around good time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 13:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10466139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/319478/pseuds/319478
Summary: Kaiba is invited to a wedding.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a great writer but this is purely self indulgent and? I can't get enough of these guys sorry

Seto Kaiba didn't get letters, other than the usual mundane bill, or for old fashioned business practices.

 

So he was genuinely surprised when the envelope was presented to him that morning. A modest size, addressed to him by means of a legible, but slightly crude handwriting. Altogether mediocre. No address was written, he noted. It had been delivered personally.

 

Inside was cardstock, printed with cheap black and gold ink. A wedding invitation. 

 

Of course they were getting married. It shouldn't have been a surprise that the two were involved so soon after the pharaoh chose to live the rest of his given life with his partner. Yugi and Atem had a bond that couldn't simply be understood by anyone else.

 

And for the most part, Kaiba didn't understand it. Though, not without for a lack of trying.

 

Something about the whole ordeal didn't settle quite right with him. At some point he had cut off all connections with them three years ago. Claimed to be busier than he actually was whenever they asked for him. Locked away his duelling deck and hadn't touched it since. 

 

_ So why did they invite him? _

 

He continued to stare at the card, not quite reading the words, but just taking in the mere idea of it. 

 

Very rarely would he be considered as a guest by an engaged employee out of courtesy, but he'd always just simply send a card, and an expensive bottle of wine in place of his attendance.

 

He hadn't really been invited to a wedding before. 

 

Then again, he never had the friends to allow such thing.

 

_Not_ that they were friends, as far as he knew. _‘Friends’_ didn't treat _‘friends’_ the way that he did back then, Kaiba thought back grimly to his younger, brash self.

 

He'd imagine the reunion to be awkward beyond all expectations. Seeing “not-friends” for the first time in years, not knowing if anything between them would be the same. He stared tentatively at the RSVP details, seriously considering if he should make an appearance, for God knows what reason. Would they really even care if he showed up or not?

 

Very unlike himself, he reached for the phone on a pure impulse that he didn't fight, and dialed the number. 

 

_ Ring ring. _

 

_“Hello?”_ a familiar voice crackled through the other end. 


	2. Chapter 2

Since that phone call a month ago, Yugi and Atem were apparently thrilled with Kaiba's response that they had invited him for lunch. He declined in turn.

 

So it was to Kaiba’s surprise that he found Atem waiting for him outside his office at the turn of lunch break, promising that he knew a good coffee place.

 

And on another cursed act of impulse, Kaiba agreed to go with. 

 

The lunches became a daily routine of going out and brief catch-ups on each other's lives.

 

Kaiba looked at his once-rival intently, studying his face and features as the other talked.

 

Atem really hadn't changed much at all in all these years.


	3. Chapter 3

He was in the mansion cellar, looking over the shelves of fine liquor, as he did whenever he was ‘invited’ to such things. Normally it would have been as easy as gifting his own favourite bottle of champagne, but for some reason, it was different this time. 

 

He recalled Atem preferred red over white.


	4. Chapter 4

“I'm sorry if this sounds kind of last minute,” Atem blurted out, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. 

 

Kaiba hummed, stirring the cream into his coffee. They were on another one of their “catch-up lunches” the other had called them. _Definitely not a date._

 

“I know the wedding is coming up really soon, but I… I was just wondering if you’d be my best man?”

 

Kaiba tensed. The cup in his hand squeezed a little too tightly.

 

Atem chuckled nervously, taking a sip out of his own cup. “You don't have to though. It's enough that you can go at all. Really.”

 

“I thought Wheeler--”

 

“ _Joey_ ,” he emphasized, “is my friend, but he's also Yugi’s friend first-and-foremost.” Atem sighed, shoulders visibly releasing tension as he slumped back, carefully keeping his eyes on Kaiba. “You were the friend _I_ made when _I_ first lived in this world through Yugi. Yugi is your friend too, yes, but you and I are the ones who share that special bond that no one else has.”

 

_What the hell is that supposed to mean?_

 

Kaiba didn't know why he suddenly felt so-- frustrated; upset; angry. He didn't get it.

 

He grew to tolerate Yugi’s friendship nonsense as being purely out of courtesy, but after everything he had done in the past, how could Atem even consider him a friend, let alone _‘best man’_ at his own goddamn wedding. No doubt all the other guests that were invited held some kind of grudge against him.

 

_ If we had such a special bond, then why did you-- _

 

Kaiba bit back his tongue and schooled his face into that steeled mask again, careful to not let his irrational temper rise.

 

“Sorry. I should have asked you sooner.”

 

Kaiba shrugged in response. A curt hum. Flat. Monotone. Distanced. It almost felt like they've had a conversation like this before.

 

“Fine,” he shrugged again after a moment, cursing himself inwardly for yet another impulsive move. “I'll do it.” 

 

Atem’s eyes lit up at that, a grin slowly growing on his lips. “Seriously? Are you sure you--”

  
“Make up your mind now before I change my opinion,” he said firmly, as if Atem hadn't been the one to ask him in the first place. Of course, he wasn't accepting because some flimsy friendship excuse. Atem was one of the few who was worthy of his respect. It was only reasonable that he should have accepted the offer, he rationalized to himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Kaiba looked himself over the the mirror briefly, making sure the newly tailored gray suit was within his standards.

 

Adjusting his tie, he looked over the shoulder of his reflection where Atem emerged from one of the dressing rooms in a similar design, but in white.

 

During one of their “catch-up lunches” Atem had made an offhanded comment that they were just going to rent the suits on the day to fit within their budget.

 

_ Not on Seto Kaiba’s watch he wasn't. _

 

So there they were, getting their custom suits fitted, and Kaiba insisted that he'd be paying for it all. Even for Wheeler, which is why Kaiba chose to appoint his suit fitting on a different day. He'd rather avoid seeing Wheeler for as long as he could help it. Atem just happened to tag along. Something about _“best men and grooms sticking together,”_ or some other nonsense.

 

Atem stood beside Kaiba, grinning widely as he lightly adjusted his collar and sleeves. 

 

Kaiba darted a glance at the others reflection in the mirror before quickly distracting himself with the tie again.

 

It was a bit of a strange sight. The leather-clad, belt and buckle wearing, wild haired pharaoh just didn't wear suits _ever._ He looked weird.

 

“Well, how do I look?”

 

He looked good.

 

“You look good.”


	6. Chapter 6

Was he supposed to prepare a speech? He didn't know the best man was supposed to prepare a speech.

 

_ Shit. _


	7. Chapter 7

Contrary to his presence at product launches and tournaments, Kaiba just didn't do this type of public speaking. Which is why the former role was slowly being handed down to the younger Kaiba. 

 

His words were too blunt, delivery too harsh, attitude too fierce to be marketable. Or so he had been told. In recent years, Kaiba could admit that he wasn't the most socially adept person to be around. He wasn't the sentimental type, but he was too prideful to do a half-assed speech for Atem's damn wedding.

 

_ Shit. _


	8. Chapter 8

Anxiety bubbled uncomfortably in his chest and fell heavy in the pit of his stomach. The uneasy feeling had been festering since that morning, but now it was overwhelming. He wanted nothing more than to run. Or throw up. _Anything._ But that wouldn’t look very good on his part, standing beside the altar as the two newlyweds shared a _too-sweet_ embrace right after their vows.

 

He suppressed the feeling as best as he could, biting his tongue, ignoring how familiar it somehow felt.


	9. Chapter 9

A much younger Mokuba of three years ago had confronted the older brother, seemingly from a burst of irritated, pre-teen frustration.

 

_ “Why don't you just talk to Atem!?” _

 

_ “Atem likes Yugi.” _

 

Kaiba didn't mean anything by it, but the words had left a sour taste in his mouth. He quickly made sure the subject was dropped for good.

 

Today, three years later, Mokuba sits beside him at the table during the wedding reception, giving the older brother pensive glances as the newlyweds enter the venue and the room rouses into a cheering applause.

 

Kaiba chooses to ignore both.


	10. Chapter 10

Seto Kaiba doesn't _make_ mistakes.

 

But by some sick fault, it felt like he just made one. A big, fat, miscalculated, impulsive mistake, and it feels wrong. Shameful. Disgusting.

 

_ You're disgusting. _

 

Kaiba scrunched up the paper with his ‘best man speech’ underneath the table. The script might as well have said _“bullshit”_ in big, bold, red letters.

 

Screw the speech. It wasn't like they're going to want a speech from him anyway. He wanted to rip it apart, chuck it, burn it out of existence so that all of this had never happened.

 

As soon as the window of opportunity opens, Kaiba takes it to leave as early as he possibly can. Staying in this room any longer almost feels unbearable.

 

“We're going,” he states quietly enough that only the younger brother hears him, chucking the script on his chair as he stands. He doesn't even want to keep it on his for any longer either. Mokuba hesitates before choosing to keep quiet, and he stands up with him. They attempt to exit unnoticed.

 


	11. Chapter 11

He shouldn't have responded to that damn invitation, swearing that it would be the last time he’s give into weak curiosity. 

 

The phone buzzes and his name lights up on the screen, and Kaiba can't decide if he'd rather ignore the call, or immediately cancel it.

 

A week later, he already hates the sequence of numbers along with the name. Blocks it. Deletes it. Wants nothing to do with it; _with him._

 

Maybe if he had talked to him three years sooner things could have been different.

 

_ Don't be stupid. _

 

The anxiety eats at him again.


End file.
